December is a time for giving, and the Premier League gives its fans the craziest fixture list in all of soccer during the final month of the year.
It starts with Matchday 11, which sees two bitter rivals square off in North London while across town at least one team's three-game win streak is about to come to an end. Meanwhile, the defending champion tries to navigate a congested schedule with a growing list of wounded, and no fewer than four different teams could be in the top spot by the end of the weekend.
The temperatures are dropping across England but the action is definitely heating up.
Here are five things to watch this weekend.
North London Derby
Tottenham vs. Arsenal, 11:30 a.m. ET, Sunday
It's hard to say for sure, but Tottenham fans have likely never looked forward to a North London Derby as much as they are looking forward to this Sunday's edition of the longstanding rivalry.
Spurs head into Matchday 11 atop the Premier League standings and without a loss in the competition since the opening weekend. They boast an exciting attacking corps and the best defence in the league through 10 games, and confidence in the club hasn't been higher in a long, long time.
Contrast that to Arsenal, which is mired in its worst stretch in recent memory. The Gunners are 14th and aren't scaring anyone these days — least of all their closest rival.
However, a mystery affliction to Tottenham starting goalkeeper Hugo Lloris means that Joe Hart will likely make his Premier League debut for the club on Sunday. Hart's shaky performance in a midweek Europa League draw to Austrian side LASK continues a long-running trend of uninspiring play from the former England No. 1, and he may be the Achilles heel Arsenal needs to even the odds.
Banged-up Liverpool
Liverpool vs. Wolves, 2:15 p.m. ET, Sunday
Is there a team in the world undergoing a bigger injury crisis than Liverpool?
The defending Premier League champion started the weekend tied on points with league-leading Tottenham, and it has already secured the top spot in its Champions League group with one more match left to play. The Reds have been chugging along despite a laundry list of big names who have been unavailable at one point or another this season.
Star defender Virgil van Dijk (ACL surgery) is the highest-profile player to be placed on Liverpool's injured list, but the club has also seen stretches without Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xherdan Shaqiri, Naby Keita, Trent Alexander-Arnold and James Milner recently, with most of those players still recovering.
The banged-up Reds showed some vulnerability in last week's 1-1 draw with lowly Brighton, so they could be in for a rougher ride against a much better Wolves side.
Going for four
West Ham vs. Manchester United, 12:30 p.m. ET, Saturday
A pair of teams on three-game Premier League winning streaks collide as the Hammers host United.
Both sides are within a good sustained run of challenging the leaders, although West Ham has the advantage of not being involved in a European tournament in addition to the domestic league. United's up and down form has led to some calls for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's job, but his position is probably secure with his team holding a game in hand and sitting just five points from the top of the table.
SHOOT-OUT: Man Utd's title chances
United comes into this match off a disheartening loss to PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday. Will two days off be enough time for the Red Devils to physically (and mentally) recuperate against a rested and in-form West Ham?
Big day ahead for City?
Manchester City vs. Fulham, 10 a.m. ET, Saturday
Speaking of hammers, Manchester City is expected to lay one down on visiting Fulham early Saturday.
City hasn't been the most convincing so far this season, sitting in 11th place (albeit with a game in hand). The usual flair and dominance seen from the Sky Blues in recent years has only shown up in short bursts as manager Pep Guardiola has struggled to get his men to play the kind of attacking soccer that has become the club's calling card.
A visit by Fulham — which is an early candidate for relegation — may be just what the doctor ordered for City. The Sky Blues laid five goals on Burnley last week after going six straight Premier League games with one goal or less, so another large scoreline against a bottom feeder could help boost their confidence.
Lucky Leicester
Sheffield United vs. Leicester City, 9:15 a.m. ET, Sunday
It was only weeks ago when Leicester was atop the Premier League table and bringing back memories of its improbable title win of 2015-16, but the last month has not been kind to the Brendan Rodgers-led club.
The Foxes are mired in a four-game winless skid (three losses) across all competitions, and last week they dropped a 2-1 decision to lowly Fulham. The swagger of the first two months of the campaign has completely evaporated, yet their hot start means that Rodgers' men are still in fourth heading into the weekend.
Leicester desperately needs a win to get back on track, and no team has been handing out victories more than Sheffield United. The Blades are dead last in the Premier League with just a single point to their name, and they've scored just two goals during their current five-game losing streak. If ever there was an opponent ready to be a slump buster for Leicester, it's this one.
Then again, the Foxes probably thought the same of Fulham last week.